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Is Modulus still in Business?

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#41
...Seriously, I would be very bummed if they did go under. I love my Q5; I am the original owner and have no plans on selling her. I've been having 2 gigs per weekend and I always chose my Q5 for one of the two gig; love my bass.

I own a small tree and landscape company and know if I treated my customers like they treat us, I would be flipping burgers in a month.
 
#43
I have been attempting to deal with Anderson since I met him back in 1999. Never have they been very good with response or info in that time. Over the last several years, it has gotten worse. That doesn't mean that they are out of production, but it does mean they have been consisitantly getting worse in customer service. At least for me. I have a Genesis 5 and a Bassstar 5 and a VJ 4. They are my favorite basses. I am still hoping to add a Q5 to the mix... It is really sad to find out these wonderful small companies (of actually any type) are going under. It makes us all have to turn to the less impressive mega companies and I for one don't like that thought at all
 
#44
BuffaloBob4343 said:
J, you and I have similar tastes (besides our Dingwall Prima Voodoo's). If I were to buy one bass in addition to my Dingwalls, it would be a Modulus Q6 fretless! What are the spec's?

BTW, I wish we had similar skills! ;)
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The specs are, ash body, figured maple top, unlined fb, 34" scale, custom Bart electronics.
 
#46
Marketing 101. Biggest toothpaste company ever in the 50's? Ipana. What happened to them? I've never heard of them you say? They 100% stopped all their marketing. Where as Crest got even more aggressive and owns the market. Ipana thought they were cool and that EVERYBODY knows them. Which couldn't be more incorrect.

Just because Modulus is a household brand to you and I, doesn't mean everyone knows who they are. I could find 10 bass players right now (beginners or otherwise) that have never heard of them.

Just like everyone knows who McDonalds & Coke are, right? Wrong. They spend billions every year in advertising because they know a child is born every second that has never heard of them.

Maybe if Modulus ran ads (the way Warwick) runs ads (& promotions via Facebook) they would not only be around still, but be thriving.
 
#47
I think they could bolster their business significantly by concentrating their ads on what put them in business in the first place: replacement necks. They could set up a website seperate from their main site where you could order necks to spec similar to the way Warmoth has theirs set up rather than the antiquated PDF catalog for download.

If they could find a way to build replacement P and J necks and keep the price around $500, I think they would sell a hell of a lot of necks again. I know that I would probably be in that number myself.
 
#49
JAUQO III-X said:
Guys can speculate all day why Modulus may not be around any longer and how they don't answer emails, run ads, etc.

But most here have no idea, not how small Modulus is but how tiny they are in the scheme of things.
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Doesn't really matter. Good customer service is a needed thing for any business looking to survive in this day and age. Even if they aren't going under they certainly need to put more resources there. I don't think it'd affect their costs or profit margins too much by hiring one or two guys to respond to emails and inquiries.
 
#51
There was a time when most bass companies wouldn't talk to a potential customer, they would always send that potential customer to one of their dealers.

Maybe some people never knew that or are spoiled.


There are some serious Modulus dealers that will go out of their way to help customers out with pretty much all inquires.


No need to bother the people who build the instrument when that's not a part of their business model. Go to that companies dealer.
 
#52
JAUQO III-X said:
No need to bother the people who build the instrument when that's not a part of their business model. Go to that companies dealer.
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I do agree with this logic in principle.

But when you are dealing with the manufacturer directly and they have had your bass for almost 4 months.... And won't return your calls or emails, that is just wrong.

Great people to deal with WHEN you can get them on the phone. But doing so is nearly impossible.
 
#53
JAUQO III-X said:
There was a time when most bass companies wouldn't talk to a potential customer, they would always send that potential customer to one of their dealers.

Maybe some people never knew that or are spoiled.


There are some serious Modulus dealers that will go out of their way to help customers out with pretty much all inquires.


No need to bother the people who build the instrument when that's not a part of their business model. Go to that companies dealer.
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I think the problem is they aren't "sending" their cusotmers to a dealer. They just don't respond. I've played nothing but Modulus for years but their customer service is the worst. I think most people would be happy to even get a reply asking them to touch base with dealer XYZ instead of not getting returned phone calls/emails.

On a side note I would highly recommend contacting Tony from planetbass.com. Super stand up dude and hella Modulus dealer :)
 
#54
I knew about Modulus and what they had done with graphite; so I ordered my FU4 from a dealer. It arrived, it played insanely beautiful, and that was that.

Yes, it would be good if a happy voice answered "Good Morning! Modulus Basses! How may we help you?"
But c'mon.
Do you need that?
Yes, you say, if there's a problem, but that should be handled by the Dealer.
Jauqo III-X is right. I believe Modulus operates out of a small industrial space, builds basses to Dealer Order, and probably has a minute staff.'

Of course IF they ae not going to continue, they need to make arrangements to finish up pending Work Order, but it seems that it may NOT be the case. Time will tell.

Once,I wanted to speak with Modulus regarding a MI-related business issue; the ignored my message, never returned E-Mails,
That became my answer-"Not interested". I can deal with it. Yes,. it would have been nice if they had said "Thanks for asking, but NO!" I have no doubt IF they would have been interested, they would have contacted me. (BTW, it was regarding imprinted gigbags, which would have been the shizz IMO!)

One thing that I thought was always buggy was their Online Store, which did not work- Why have it up?

I forgive them! Their basses are one-of-a-kind, super well-done.
I hope the talk of them going down is wild rumour, and they get it together.

As for whether I get to talk with them; Not needed. I'll just be happy enough to play my Modulus Bass.

Obviously-this does NOT apply to whomever may have an instrument pending for repair or special order etc. Of Course they would need to communicate that- If nothing else through their Dealers.
 
#55
Baird6869 said:
But when you are dealing with the manufacturer directly and they have had your bass for almost 4 months.... And won't return your calls or emails, that is just wrong.

Great people to deal with WHEN you can get them on the phone. But doing so is nearly impossible.
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I fully understand and I understand your situation.

Who are you dealing with at Modulus?
 
#57
Baird6869 said:
So how is Modulus ANY different than Fodera, MBass, MTD, Dingwall, FBass... And dozens of other small builders?
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BY the fact that they, for whatever reason, don't want to or feel the need to communicate with the Consumer, that's how.

I'm not unsympathetic to your situation, but maybe because of the aerospace graphite- related Geek factor, the power that be at Modulus wants to be left alone to make basses.Just sayin':D

I don't feel it's a good thing. I've had basses built by Stevens, BEE, and G&L, and had no issues whatsoever talking with the builder or company when needed.
But I wanted a Modulus, and if that's how they operate, I can make a decision based on that alone.

Who was your Dealer, and what do they say?
 
#58
JAUQO III-X said:
There was a time when most bass companies wouldn't talk to a potential customer, they would always send that potential customer to one of their dealers.

Maybe some people never knew that or are spoiled.


There are some serious Modulus dealers that will go out of their way to help customers out with pretty much all inquires.


No need to bother the people who build the instrument when that's not a part of their business model. Go to that companies dealer.
Click to expand...

ehhh that's just not gona cut it anymore. companies need to realize that in this day and age their customers expect them to take an active role in standing behind their products. maybe years ago it was ok to hide behind the dealers but people expect better than that now.
 
#60
IronLung1986 said:
ehhh that's just not gona cut it anymore. companies need to realize that in this day and age their customers expect them to take an active role in standing behind their products. maybe years ago it was ok to hide behind the dealers but people expect better than that now.
Click to expand...


Whether it's going to cut it or not doesn't matter if the companies business plan is set up the way it is and not for certain individuals.



Dealers are selling Modulus basses and Modulus is still in the game.
 
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